Pahlaj sacked as Censor Board Chief, Prasoon to replace him

New Delhi: Pahlaj Nihalani, who turned the Censor Board into a precinct of serial controversy, has been sacked as the organisation's chairman. His successor is famous lyricist Prasoon Joshi, while actor Vidya Balan joins the board, according to NDTV report.

Colleagues of Nihalani had accused him of treating the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) like his personal fiefdom, while film makers and critics accused him of demanding irrational cuts and moral policing. Recent scandals involved a demand for multiple cuts in Madhur Bhandarkar's "Indu Sarkar" which depicts the Emergency and his refusal to certify "Lipstick Under My Burqa" which explores female sexuality.

A CBFC member had described it as "lady-oriented," complaining of sexual scenes, abusive words, audio pornography (phone sex) and implied the film might offend Muslims. Director Alankrita Shrivastava won her case after challenging the censor board at an appeals tribunal.

Pahlaj Nihalani was appointed to head the board in January 2015 and was entangled in controversy right through his tenure. He had recently objected to the word "intercourse" in the Shah Rukh Khan film When Harry Met Sejal, and was also sharply criticised for his decision to bleep words like "cow" and "Hindu India" in a documentary on economist and Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen.

A couple of weeks back, following speculations over his removal from the post, Nihalani had given IANS a quote saying he would step down if asked. However, he had denied saying it the next day.